After weeks of dire predictions accompanied by nonstop political finger-pointing, the automatic federal budget-cutting process known as sequestration is set to kick off Friday. As is true of most things political in Washington, there is little agreement about whether it's good or bad, of marginal consequence or serious import - or even when it really starts.

Federal aviation officials have warned the public to expect the worst. Flights will be delayed, smaller airports stripped of control-tower personnel, general aviation slowed and commercial travelers forced into longer waits. But that's just the beginning.

Most of what the federal government touches has a potential to be affected as about $85 billion is pared from the budget. When personnel cutbacks begin to hit, national parks could have fewer rangers, the Food and Drug Administration fewer meat inspectors, border checkpoints fewer agents. Vaccination programs may suffer, raising the specter of a rise in infectious disease.

For coastal cities, the reduction of Coast Guard personnel has myriad implications, with the anticipated 5 percent overall cut translating into a 25 percent reduction of cutter and aircraft operating hours for all missions, save training and search-and-rescue. Large ports face the prospect of ships waiting to dock because of a slowdown in customs inspectors.

The impact - potentially - goes on and on. Background checks for gun purchases might not be carried out within the three-day limit because of a lack of personnel to do the checking, stripping the law of its meaning. Federal staffers with numerous agencies will be forced to take days off - unpaid.

"The fact that neither side is able to compromise means federal employees, in this case federal law enforcement agents, not just the FBI but ATF and DEA, are sort of pawns in this, and there is no way morale ... isn't affected, " said Konrad Motyka, who supervises a foreign counter-intelligence unit in the FBI's New York field office.

President Obama is scheduled to meet with congressional leaders of both parties at the White House Friday, though no budget breakthrough is expected. Republicans complain that the administration and its agency appointees have exaggerated the probable impact of sequestration in critical areas such as air-traffic control or border enforcement in order to build public support for more taxation of the nation's wealthy. True or not, there is no getting around the squeeze that is coming.

"Some say the real sequester start is March 27, when the government supposedly runs out of money, or perhaps the most crucial date is April 4, when furloughs of government employees can begin.

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